On the Coldest Winter Night
by Nekron Smauzog
Summary: It's the middle of night and hours away 'til the morn of Hearth's Warming Day, a tradition celebrated by all mares, stallions and foals. Our human hero is unable to sleep, and figures a walk out in Ponyville will help him out to tire him. Though unaware of the coldest and fierce winter storm oncoming, he notices that there is a dim light on still in Twilight's castle...


**A/N: Hello again. A new one-shot just released in time for the holidays and relating to Hearth's Warming Eve. It's something that I have always wanted to do at one point, but just didn't know how to. I will admit I was a bit puzzled in try to get pieces together, so in the end this came to mind while working on "Learning To Live" and thought I should make this one-shot related to the story.**

 **If you have not been caught up with 'Learning To Live', then do not read this one-shot just yet or you'll be confused as to why there's a human in Equestria.**

 **Other than that... Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy and Merry to other traditions for my other readers... and most importantly, Happy Hearth's Warming Eve! :) It's the best that I could do in making this. The next chapter for 'Learning To Live' will be something I will work on immediately after Christmas Day, but until then this will take some time off so I can finish Fallout 4 and celebrate my holiday traditions. Read on and enjoy!**

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I can feel myself starting to stir awake from sleep. The air inside of the cottage feels cold and dead, and even my nose can smell the scent of winter coming into my bedroom. My vision is all black at first as my eyes were closed shut, then I begin opening my eyes. Everything is still a blur, but eventually they clear up, with the full moon seen right outside of my bedroom window in the center.

I lie there in bed, keeping myself under the warm covers and blankets to protect myself from the cold winter air seeping in through the room. Fluttershy was still asleep in her bedroom, along with all of the other animals who have gone into hibernation in the dirt and under the snow, save for few who can be still awake during the season. Looks like I'm the only one awake in the cottage after all.

I felt like I couldn't really sleep anymore. Not sure why I am not able to, but for some reason, it was a feeling that can't really let go. No matter how many times from there I tried to get back to sleep as the night was late out there... no use.

Ah, whatever. I just feel like going outside this late past bedtime. It's going to be quite a while until the tired wear comes into action.

My legs began to slip out from under the bed sheets. Time to get up then I suppose. I pull the rest of the warm sheets off of me, and I turn upwards from lying down to sitting up on my bed. This moment is used for me to stretch and wake up the rest of my body before getting up off of the bed. My feet touch the chilled wooden planks below, while headed to my wardrobe.

Once at the wardrobe, I move my hands to the wardrobe's handles. I take out some jeans Rarity made for me along with a long-sleeved t-shirt that she ordered for me as at the time she didn't have the materials required for sewing a special one for me. She did apologize to me for it, and I know that in my heart I always forgive my friends no matter what mistakes they make or promises... even Pinkie promises are broken by them in regards to our friendship.

I was quiet to ensure that I changed from my pyjamas and into my casual winter wear. Slipping the sock onto my right foot after the other had been put on, I knew I had to be quiet when I was heading downstairs this late at night. I don't want Fluttershy to wake up if I make a single noise. My leather boots sit right by my bedroom door, and even a loud squeak if possible to happen could wake her from the good slumber she was probably having right now.

I grab onto my leather boots and slip them on, tying up the laces of black quietly and slowly. I don't want to rush or I'll probably make a mistake doing it. Once the boots were on and tied, I reach out for the golden doorknob and give it a turn, opening up my door as slowly as I could. Once even a little bit of moonlight was striving in from the closed window down the hall, all seemed quiet.

I don't think I even heard Fluttershy's hooves trotting from inside the bedroom, nor her snores as well. Must be peacefully asleep in her bed all snuck-in warm underneath her bed sheets. I only recall ever being in her bedroom at least once, but that was it.

I lift a foot right out of the door slowly at a time until I had gone out of my room completely. My right hand reached out behind me, grabbing onto the other knob from the other side of the door, giving a push to my doorside, closing the door shut with only a small 'boom' as my ears could pick up from the door making a complete close.

I froze there only for a few moments, and then another few... still nothing, but I did by now catch the sound of faint snoring from her room. Have to be careful next time, was only lucky once when the boom was right close by me, so no way she could've heard it.

I turn to my right, moving slowly by one foot at a time to keep things as quiet as can be towards the stairs. Even though Fluttershy wouldn't be cranky if I woke her up at this time, she'd probably just question me why I'd be up this late. I know her though, she gets concerned easily whenever I've been through the worst times.

The steps to descend down to the main floor of the cottage, sounds pretty quiet. Well aside from the occasional quiet creak, I don't think there was any other sound like somepony was moving or breathing in the room aside from the soft winter air, blowing quietly sometimes onto the windows and fading once again. I peek my head to look downstairs in the living room. All quiet and dark there, no small animals in sight.

Wait... I forgot that I have helped out Fluttershy to get them into hibernation for the winter. Never mind then...

Along I headed down the steps onto the living room floor's small mat, my boots no longer making a hard sound each time they tapped onto the wooden birch planks. It's only your usual design of a mat in its rectangular shape of shaded red. By each of the two steps I took onto the mat, they almost sounded more plush when stepped on.

My right hand reached out and slips my winter coat off from the hanger where all of the other winter coats or hats in that kind of winter fashion or not would be hung. I place my arms through the long sleeves and zip up the rest of the coat to the full potential. The temperature outside shouldn't be too cold, so I should be fine without gloves or a hat unless it was minus 30 or below.

I slowly open the front door, the cold air only creating a gentle breeze when the door peeks open. I slip through the door's open side, closing the door shut behind me, though I had to be a little quiet when pulling the door shut.

The winter air blew gently across my face, giving out the essence of cool and the smell of winter in the air just like the snow's silent music covering up the dead grass gone to sleep for the season. Only the sound of the wind accompanied the ambience... in fact, it's probably the only thing I hear aside from the footsteps I make crunching softly on the fallen snow.

I cross over the stone bridge, making my way onto the snow-covered trail having been worked over a few times by the community of Ponyville for the majority of the week, so I did manage to get a bit of a pathway to find out where the town is. I figured that I might as well go there for the walk. Nopony's really awake, so I don't think a lone walk out in the crystal moonlight will hurt at all.

All snow shined under the moonlight, giving off a crystalline appearance by each one having been frozen over the night when the chill's temperature increased. The trees' branches are covered from the top and spread throughout, staying still until a strong breeze should knock it unto the ground, or at least until the branches can no longer support the strength of the fallen snowflakes gathered.

The trail doesn't last too long, and the town could be seen coming up close. Just as I suspect, every light in each home is shut off with only the color of black to fill in the voids while others slept, dreaming of the joy of Hearth's Warming. I cross over the stone bridge, glancing briefly towards the frozen stream, having started like this as soon as winter kicked in.

Decorations almost similar to the Earth's Christmas traditions were hung up around the place, proud to show some spirit for their version of the tradition. Very rarely when passing by the homes, I would glance from afar at the dim-lit view, seeing the left-on Hearth's Warming trees in their living rooms, most likely where those in the morning or evening gathered to open their presents in sight and the reality of happiness around them, I can recall some good memories out of them. Seems to me that they celebrate it differently, like back on Earth where in America, they opened during Christmas morning while in Europe, it was in the evening. But seeing how I made friends who celebrate it differently while there, I could understand the similarities here in Equestria and there.

The Sugarcube Corner stands there, with all lights off and not even the smell of gingerbread being baked in the air to be smelt. Well, besides the Cakes being asleep, I was pretty much aware that Pinkie wasn't going to be with them for the night. Just the last few days, I remembered Pinkie had told me that she and Applejack, plus the rest of the Apple family at Sweet Apple Acres were going with her to see her family before she left.

Even the Town Hall had its lights turned off, but I already know the lights only left on were the outdoor decorations and the Hearth's Warming trees spread throughout each home of every individual or family. It's quite a beautiful sight, especially when on a lone walk through the coldest night which I can tell is increasing by temperature soon enough. Celestia knows though that she won't let it be too cold for her subjects, so it shouldn't end up when Nightmare hadn't been redeemed yet.

Ah... yes. It was beautiful with each and every light on in the town outdoors. Not a single light from the interiors of homes alit... well... I can see a castle's lights still alit.

I have not noticed at first until I had turned around to the other side of the town's Northern view. Twilight's castle still had its lights on. A few lights were shut off in the few places like the bedroom in the spiral tower. Guess she must have left her lights on and didn't turn them off... I begin to step forward, my focus now on her crystalline palace. I am pretty sure I don't need to knock at the door as I only need to step in quickly to turn off the lights or rather, investigate briefly why her lights are on.

Still not a single peep heard from anypony getting up in the middle of the night to hear my footsteps softly crunching upon the flurried snow. Some clouds up ahead start to roll in as slowly as they could. Hmm, probably another snowfall on the way. It is still a bit far, but if any I'll probably be inside Twilight's castle before the next snowstorm begins.

I take the path towards Twilight's castle, away from most other homes and buildings located in the humble, quiet town. The closer that I got to the castle and looked up, the bigger it looked from down here on the snow-covered soil.

Those golden doors came into my view from that short distance, as the moonlight never really had illuminated by it's location in the sky from earlier tonight. When the clouds cover up the sky, it would be a little harder to see where I would be going.

I took careful steps when I got up onto the small staircase of crystalline tiles seen out here and in the majority of her castle with the exception of both the kitchen and the spiral tower's bedroom where me, her and the other girls spent sleeping during the threat of the Tantabus. Moonlight bounces from the sides of the castle, enlightening the rest of the moderately distant Ponyville from the castle's short path, giving me a bit of a direction for the way back to the cottage.

I turnabout back towards the large double gold-plate doors, bringing my right hand forward to give the right sided door a push open as there isn't really a doorknob that I can turn to open. With the single but hard push, the door creaks at a low volume open allowing light into the stairwell entrance.

I set foot into the castle, making sure to close the door behind me so I wouldn't let any of the outdoor cold into the castle. The stairway itself is barely lit, illuminated by the oncoming moonlight bouncing into the castle from the those small, closed windows headed upwards into the spiral tree palace.

My footsteps continue to pace, making an east turn towards the staircase of gold and taking those steps upward towards the upper floor of the castle, where I knew Twilight could be as there isn't really anything down here on the first main floor except the stairway. My boots stepping on each step, echo throughout the entire spiraled towering trunk of crystalline, letting Luna's moon pave my way carefully so I know where I'm going.

My eyes stray towards the small windows as guidance to get upstairs. Through the closed windows, I could see the stars, millions of stars shining up to reveal the edge of the beloved galaxy and the view of its centre. No nebulas were in sight, as very few seen can be seen by the naked eye in the southern part of Equus, out of Equestria's borders and by the lost kingdom of the Snowponies. Again, temperatures there according to the newspapers are below -40, so the risk is that I'd have to keep warm when I'm in the outdoors if I was to go there in my travels when I could.

Near the top of the golden stairwell, the orange color could be seen from down the hall by my own eyes when my head had peeked up over the upper floor when my feet tread the last of the steps upward onto the next floor. It seems to be coming from where the fireplace is located as I recall Twilight mentioning that room from across the first hallway ahead when I remember having a tour of the castle with her and Spike showing me around.

My boots now move quietly, only making echoes of its soft steps when I move forward down the hall. I don't think anypony would hear that when I get closer by each second, but then I realize about the other rooms down this hall, a few of their doors still open.

There's the room that she sleeps in. Wait... I better be extra quiet when taking a quick peek in the room. Spike is right there in that small bed of his, snoring loudly and his eyes. The last thing I would want to do is wake a sleeping baby dragon while he rests, so I figured... might as well let him sleep. After smiling to myself when seeing one of my friends there sleeping, I move the door back. I left it slightly open so that in case I didn't accidentally slam it. That definitely would have woken him up.

I step away from her bedroom door, my focus now back on the dim-lit room at the end of the hall. My ears don't really pick up anything at first, but then there are the sound of hooves trotting in the closed room... Twilight must be awake and in there. A fire I can assume has been lit in the fireplace because the closer I got towards the door, I can sort of make out the sound of crackling and snapping.

I approach the door and stay right there, peeking an eye through the small crack between the arch and the door itself. I can only see a little bit from in there. There's the fireplace... with at least three stockings right there, already having been emptied out with the exception of the one on the left, still having been filled with something. The fire crackles in the fireplace, lit by the short bulked wooden logs of oak inside to support the gentle flames.

A Hearth's Warming tree had also been set up inside and decorated with ornaments, ribbons, colors and lights that shone brightly, with a six-pointed star at the top of the tree, as the representation of both the Element of Magic and Twilight's cutie mark.

The sound of that recognized tone exhales a sigh inside that room. Twilight. My eye can only turn to a certain extent until I only caught the sight of green furniture... a couch to be exact. Other than that, I can't really see anything else beyond the edge of the door unless I was to open the door and enter the room.

By the sound of the sigh I heard, I am pretty sure that was coming from the couch she could be seated on. Not sure about the sound of the sigh, not sure if she was feeling down or it was because she was relaxing on there. The big question to me though is why she would up at this time of night, just like me? Well, neither of us can really sleep, so I guess the question doesn't really matter to me now.

My hand pressed against the door, and I don't think I even knew that I was opening up the door as my mind is more directed onto what is going on in the room with her. So I don't ever notice that the door was slowly creaking forward, illuminating some of the fire's orange light into the hallway.

By the time I realized the door had moved open, I take my hand off from the door. Frozen right there in place, I didn't really know if Twilight heard that creaking of the opening door. The only sound that really happened to come out with only the sound of the fire crackling in the fireplace quietly to itself.

"Spike?" I can hear her speak out from behind the door. Neither me nor her made attempt to move from where we were by the time she spoke. "Is that you?"

Well, I can't hide forever behind this door. I've got to let my special somepony see me again like she always does in the flesh. I move slowly past the door, my head peeking out into the room, and my hand grabbing onto the side of the door.

There she is, lying right there on the green-lime couch of what I can only describe seems to look like giant pillows as the seatings. She only looks a little concerned whether it was her assistant Spike at the door, but wasn't. Her expression had changed as soon as her beautiful violet eyes gazed at my own brown eyes from across the room and recognized the shape of my human body when I finally had gone past the door blocking the rest of my physical appearance. Her ears are also perked up as she had caught attention when she heard the door creak, and even then I'm sure that her ears were still perked up when she was relaxing by herself.

None of us could really say anything. All we could do is gaze at each other in silence from such a close, yet short distance. Only the quiet sound of the flames crackling filled in the ambient silence between us. Past her head and through the close window, the dark clouds were rolling in and hushed single pieces of snowflakes began slowly falling down from the sky, past the window and towards the surface below to cover more snow-layered ground of dead grass, waiting until Winter Wrap Up.

I began moving closer towards her, one step at a time. I knew she wasn't afraid of me, but she is probably wondering why I could be up at this time of night on Hearth's Warming Eve. She moves a bit on the couch, allowing some space for me seat myself there while her expression of mild surprise and question doesn't change.

I untie my boots and slip them by the fireplace, allowing myself to let the black soles at the bottom of them dry up from all the wet snow that had fallen and melted onto them when stepped on.

I move closer to the open space on the couch, turning around and letting myself fall backwards with a soft landing onto the couch. I turn my head and every other part of my legs and body, sitting at the side of the couch, facing her. She also turns and lies back on the couch pillow, continuing to gaze at me as I was doing the same at her.

"You couldn't sleep either?" I asked, speaking out between our silence.

She doesn't respond for a few moments when I spoke. Seconds pass... then she opens her mouth in response. "Yes... couldn't sleep either. Just a lot of stuff on my mind that couldn't get me to sleep..." She says to me, sounding only a little tired. "Why are you up this late?"

She stays there in that same position on the couch for a few moments, but sits up on her four hooves, scooting closer towards me. "I don't know," I said to her. "The cottage began to feel cold and I'm pretty it woke me up that way... I decided to go for a night walk outside for a bit to just look around and... get some exercise perhaps? Then I noticed your lights were on. Figured you must have been awake."

"Brayden, don't you know it was going to drop in temperature tonight by the time the snowstorm was coming in?" Twilight says to me, taking my left hand with her right front hoof and holding onto it. She sounded a little concerned. "At such temperatures the storm coming in is, you could have caught a cold if you remained out there."

"I did notice the clouds starting to roll in up ahead, but the night that Luna has brought out looks wonderful... the sight of the stars and galaxy Equus resides in... now going to be covered by the snowstorm for the night and probably throughout Hearth's Warming Day."

She moves her left front hoof, taking and holding onto my other hand. My hands close in, my fingers gently stroking the both of her front hooves gently to keep her comfortable. "You are safe from what would have been freezing out there. Why don't you go ahead and take off your coat? The fire will keep us both warm."

I nod in understanding, letting go of Twilight's hooves for a moment as I unzip my winter coat and slip my hands and arms out of it. I place it behind the couch on the small table, not containing anything fragile at all. Once it was out of the way, I turn back to look at her.

"The snowstorm's supposed to be the worst one of the year, and it looks like there will be snow-ins for those living below the hill. We could get snowed in because this storm has the duration of at least two days."

I smiled at her, placing the both of my arms gently around her neck. "Well, I guess it'll just be you, me and Spike for the next two days here inside the castle then." I said to her.

She puts a smile upon her face, quietly giggling to herself. "I forgot about that. We'll do some stuff together that we haven't done before... or do what we usually do." She tells me. "It's Hearth's Warming Eve and Day after all. A tradition that brings all of us together."

"We'll have each other." I calmly said to her, with a gentle pull, bringing her closer to me.

Twilight could only smile as she accepted the pull into a hug. Her wings slowly open up and curve around my body, covering me from the back with those wings, feeling warm and comfortable. The both of our noses come together and the both of us nuzzle them together. It was a beautiful feeling that always made me feel welcome each time I was with my special somepony in the commited relationship.

During the nuzzle, the both of our eyes close and I move my right hand, allowing myself to gently stroke that soft, silky mane of hers. Her head moves after she is finished nuzzling together with my nose, and starting nuzzling with my left cheek with her right. Her coat feels fuzzy while she is nuzzling my cheek, but it nevertheless is very comfortable and makes me feel happy inside and on the outside as well.

I began to lean backwards, letting the both of my legs stretch out and relax while my head gently places itself onto the pillow behind me. Twilight lies down on my body, relaxed and the beating of her heart could be felt while she lies on top of me.

"I... I left a present for you under the tree, and I think there is a few things from both me and Spike in your stocking that I decided to put out." Twilight says. She channels magic to her horn which lights up in the recognizable violet aura. I can hear the stocking start to move from above the fireplace and towards the both of us. "I know that you probably don't open your gifts until morning, but I feel like you should open in the evening."

I smiled at her. "It reminds me of the tradition back on Earth," I told her. "Some people there that celebrate Christmas open it on Christmas morning, most people living in the eastern part of the world prefer to open them on Christmas Eve. I've always prefered this kind of opening gift tradition in the evening, though I never was able to do that where I was back on Earth."

I reach out and take ahold of the stocking while she disables the magic from her horn to allow me to pull out whatever was in the tradition sock. I pull it much closer to me and I can feel some small stuff from inside of the stocking. I pull them out one by one until there's nothing left inside of the stocking, so I place it onto the crystalline floor while I observe at what gifts I have recieved.

I exhale a small, excited gasp when I saw the three gifts I put before me close to my head. The first gift that I held in my hands was a bar of Manehattan's grand chocolate, all wrapped and freshly prepared. I can recall while I was there with Rarity and Applejack at Coco's, she laid out some of that sweet and delicious chocolate at the coffee table for dessert.

"Love it?" I can hear Twilight comment. "Coco actually wanted to mail that to you, so she sent that to me requesting I slip that into your stocking."

I nod with a smile. "If you mail her next time, tell her that I love chocolate bar straight out of Manehattan. How did she know that is one of my favorite kinds?"

She giggles, placing a hoof close to her mouth. "Must be coincidence."

I take a look at the next gift, putting the chocolate bar on my coat at the coffee table behind the couch. My hand lifts it up, revealing it as another jewel from what seems to be clean and looking rather not bitten into. It's a fire ruby, and specifically prepared as a gift to me from who else but my dragon friend.

"Spike, I assume?" I asked, holding the fire ruby in my hands.

"He originally wanted to give you a sapphire, but the gem store didn't have it, but they had another fire ruby. The first he had was given to Rarity a long time ago. She thought that it was very special to her." She tells me. "As soon as he was kissed on the cheek by her, he wouldn't remove it from his cheek until I eventually forced myself to do so with a cloth."

I place the gem onto my coat behind the couch and pick up the third and final gift from inside of my stocking. It was quite small, but nevertheless it was a special kind of necklace given to me. It wasn't from Twilight, but I can tell by the shape of the symbol that it had from whom sent it. The symbol was that of a crescent moon in a brilliant snow white color and carved from clean stones and it never felt sharp. I can assume it is a gift from both Nightmare Moon and Princess Luna up in Canterlot.

"Princess Luna and Nightmare Moon were both shopping in the Canterlot market outside of the castle when they came upon the necklace at the local jewelry shop close by. They wanted to be here on Hearth's Warming Eve, but their schedules prevented the both of them from being here, so in their absence they wanted me to give you this gift from them to you as their dearest friend. They say that they placed their blessing upon the moon symbol made from the rarest stone."

I smiled when both Luna and Nightmare Moon came to mind, remembering to send me a gift for Hearth's Warming. Then I remembered... Princess Celestia. "I appreciate what both Luna and Nightmare have given me, and in return when I visit Canterlot I will give them both hugs," I said to Twilight, placing the necklace open around above my head and slipping it onto me. "But what about Princess Celestia?"

"Princess Celestia's schedule was tight as well from both attending and getting you a gift. She sends her apologies." Twilight responds to me. "But I suppose you want to see what your gift is from me, don't you? But I will admit that it's not just from me; it's from both me, and Spike."

Her horn channels magic and a gift from the Hearth's Warming tree is lifted with a violet aura covering it, floating over towards the both of us. She moves the wrapped present closer towards me in the offer to take it which I accept, placing the both of my hands on both the item and the wrapping paper surrounding it, a mystery to me as to what could be inside the package.

I brought it closer towards me, between both me and her. My hands search for a loose part on the wrapping paper, and then began to tear at it, hearing the rippings from it when I pull it apart, one piece at a time to unveil what kind of gift both Twilight and Spike had given to me this Hearth's Warming.

Each piece of wrapping paper covered with the images of candy canes and holly, fall to the floor by the time I have unwrapped the gift in its entirity. I could only look in wonder as such a majestic item that I now held in the both of my hands, staring at it with wonder filling my eyes at the same time.

She had given me none other than a fabulous, shining memory shard-gem in the shape of a carven heart, and its not your usual ordinary gem-shaped shard. I can hear Twilight's horn ignite with magic once again as she casts a spell right at the piece, igniting the power that it has possessed inside and why it would be glowing in almost a blue-white kind of color from what I saw when I can see through it.

The shard unveils an image that I could see from the glow within, revealing a memory that I can easily remember... it's the night I had confessed to Twilight on how I had a crush on her all that time. In this memory, I caught the both of us from that time gazing at one another and then that gentle first kiss that Twilight had pulled me into with the both of her wings. I won't be the only one in the end who will remember that for all-time, for Twilight must have known it was important for the both of us that night.

"The night you confessed to me," I can hear her say while I lower the shard down to look at those violet heaven-filled eyes. She can't seem to put down that beloved smile from her face the entire time I return my gaze towards her. Her left front hoof moves and gently takes and holds onto my right hand. "It's something that the both of us knew about when I examined your memories."

"You did do that when I got back from... the mirror world with both Sonata and Sunset right?" I asked, trying to remember as it has been a while when that had happened.

She nods her head up and down in response to what I had just asked. "Yes, it was when I cast that spell when checking out your memories to see what both happened in the mirror world and Manehattan when you were with Coco Pommel."

I put a warm smile upon my face, letting my left hand move that was holding onto the shard and placing it behind the couch on my coat where all of the other gifts I have recieved were. My left hand moves forward and I place it on Twilight's right cheek, moving it downward in a smooth caress, while my other hand is still holding onto her left front hoof. "I also have a gift for you Twilight."

Her cheeks lit up with pink when I spoke to her, but nevertheless I continue ahead while my caress ends and I move my left hand to stroke her soft mane once again. "My gift to you is being able to spend tonight and the next two days snowed in with you... the both of us together. We may have got in a few fusses along the way, but our relationship has remained both strong and healthy."

"I know..." Twilight says to me, moving forward and closer towards me. "I am happy you can be here for me too..."

I place my hand from her soft, straight mane on the back of her head while we continue gazing at one another. Her wings are still furled around my back, keeping me warm from the cold winter air outside, should it come streaming into the castle. Those violet eyes though, they sparkle a bit with the light of the flames in the fireplace crackling away to keep the both of us warm for the middle of the night.

My head lies back on the pillow, feeling relaxed and comfortable while she moves slightly closer towards me and still lying down on top of me. My head was moving closer towards me and the both of us close our eyes as I knew what to expect.

Her lips gently press against my own, sharing a gentle, yet passionate kiss with me that the both of us share together. My right hand is still holding onto her left front hoof, but lets go of it and moves around her body in a gentle embrace with my right hand doing the same after having stroked her mane. After one kiss to come to another, I am quickly inhaling and exhaling each time our lips made contact.

I can feel the both of Twilight's hooves moving past between her wings and on my body, pushing lightly against my chest while the both of us were still laying lips on one another, not once opening our eyes just yet. Only the sounds of our breathing, the fire crackling in the fireplace, our lips kissing and touching one another and the cold winter storm blowing on the windows outside could be heard by the sound of our ears.

I knew where this kind of kissing was turning into, but the nevertheless I could accept this idea on what the both of us were doing together. The both of us were now starting to 'make out', something that I haven't thought of doing with Twilight until now. I can only recall Coco was trying her best in this kind of situation to lead into that kind of stuff, but what fears reside to me is what action comes next after making out... something I don't want to resort to just yet unless I stay commited to Twilight for that kind of 'matter'.

I held myself close to Twilight while she and I were still laying lips on one another and not even letting go of the romantic moment together. For this time, I am not married to her just yet, but if I do eventually get there, the situation beyond making out is something that I will think into myself, but for now I'd rather keep it toned down and quiet.

Some time passes, and eventually both me and Twilight release our lips from each other, panting a bit from all that we got through. I could feel my heartbeat having gone a little faster at that rate and even her heartbeat close to my own has accelerated as well, by a couple of beats sped up. She placed her head unto my left shoulder, gently nuzzling with my left cheek softly, making me feel comfortable than ever.

"Happy Hearth's Warming Eve Brayden..." Twilight whispers with gentle passion, her warm and fuzzy hoof gentling rubbing in small circles on my chest.

I could only smile at her. "A Happy Hearth's Warming Eve to you too Twi."

Her head moves again, now gently resting her head on my chest, her eyes directed towards the fire with that warm, comforted smile remaining on her mouth. My arms don't move a bit, keeping her close in our embrace. I could only feel relaxed as Twilight keeps her slow-tiring eyes right at the fireplace, watching the fire inside starting to dim a bit when running out of fire logs to burn out on.

The both of us were silent once again, as my eye is kept on Twilight who is still watching the flames, but at the same time I can notice that she is also trying her hardest to stay awake for the moment. Her eyes were slowly closing, but then shooting awake once again, not wanting this peace to end just yet.

I gently move my left arm from the embrace, placing it on Twilight's left cheek. She isn't surprised by this, turning her head and eyes from the fireplace and looking right at my brown eyes.

"We should both get some rest..." I suggested, even stopping there for a moment to yawn for a moment, feeling like my eyelids were going to close and that I would drop into a deep sleep at any moment. "I'm not leaving... I'll be here by the time the morning comes."

Twilight doesn't respond, but knows what I am clearly trying to come at with an understanding look on her face. She closes her eyes, laying her head on its side on my chest. I can feel the soft mane of hers when it lies down, letting only the sound of our nostrils softly breathing and the fire crackling fill in the ambience of winter outdoors.

Other than that, all was silent between the both of us from there. The warmth from the fireplace and our embrace kept us warm and cozy as the night progressed onward from there. The snow that was pouring down silently and slowly... seems like it's a blizzard out there. I must be thankful to myself that I wasn't out there during my walk outside or I would have been caught in the storm, freezing to death.

Time passed once again... it felt like only seconds have passed... no... maybe a minute...

Twilight's eyes were now arest with my inhaling breath lifting her up slowly... down slowly each time I exhale. I think the tiresome waking at this time of night must have got her right back into sleep, but again I feel tired as well.

"Good night princess..." I whispered to her as she slept, with only the sound of her soft breathing coming from her nostrils. My head moves forward off from the couch pillow, towards her head when my lips gently press onto her forehead to give it a kiss.

After releasing the kiss, my head lies back on the pillow. I remain there for some time to watch my special somepony sleeping peacefully in my arms. I can feel my eyes starting to grow tired, so I decided to close them for a bit. My vision is closed by my shut eyes, but I can still listen to my nostrils softly breathing, almost in accordance with Twilight's, plus the sound of the dimming fire while it lasted.

...Nah, you know what, I'm just going to get back to sleep. That clock on the wall told me that it's 2:14am so I shouldn't keep myself up much longer by the winter storm or the ambience in the room. My focus is just turned now to just relaxing in order to get myself back to sleep for a good night's rest.

Good night Equestria, and Happy Hearth's Warming Eve to you and all in your beloved land. Tomorrow will be Hearth's Warming Day, and I can't wait to spend it snowed in with my special somepony and her assistant.


End file.
